Search icon

A Complete Guide on How to Coupon online

Online coupons are known by many names including promo codes, gift codes, discount offers, etc. You probably already know about promotional codes and how to use them. 

But do you know how to get maximum value from these coupons?

To fully leverage discount coupons, you must have a good understanding of the process. This includes knowledge of different types of coupons, knowing where you can find one, and how you can save more money.

We have written a detailed guide that’ll help you understand the basics of coupons. After reading this, you will be able to get the most out of your coupons.

Table of Contents
  1. 1. Do Online Coupons Work?
  2. 2. Understand Different Types of Online Coupons 
    1. 2.1. X% off Coupons
    2. 2.2. $X off Coupons
    3. 2.3. Gift Item Coupons
    4. 2.4. Rewards or Cash Backs
    5. 2.5. Shipping Coupons
  3. 3. Know Where to Find Online Coupons
  4. 4. Read and Understand Coupons
  5. 5. Learn Strategies for Using Coupons
  6. 6. Best Time to Get Online Coupons
  7. 7. How to Know if a Coupon Is Real?
  8. 8. How to Apply Online Coupons? 
  9. 9. Can You Use Multiple Online Coupons?
  10. 10. How Should You Stack Online Coupons?
  11. 11. How to Confirm that the Coupon Is Applied?
  12. 12. Do Promo Codes Expire?
  13. 13. Is it safe to get coupons online?
  14. 14. Takeaway Words

Do Online Coupons Work?

Yes, online coupons or promocodes actually work and you can save money by using them. If you have a promo code that isn’t working, there will be a reason. You are either applying it after the discounted days or using it to buy the wrong products.

According to Statista, the number of digital coupon users was around 145.3 million in the USA alone. Retailers mostly offer coupons for household items and groceries.

online Coupons

Source: Statista.com

 Below are some key factors that you should know about coupons as a customer.

Understand Different Types of Online Coupons 

There are different types of online coupons based on the nature of the discount. The most common coupon codes are: 

X% off Coupons

These are promo codes which offer a certain percentage off of the total price. These are often applied to selected items or the whole order.

$X off Coupons

These are one of the most common digital coupons that you’ll find. Brands offer a fixed amount discount on the whole order or a single item.

Gift Item Coupons

As the name gives it away, you get a free gift with such coupons. You will get a predefined item of a certain price when you use the code.

Rewards or Cash Backs

These are the coupons that you get after making a purchase. You can use these types of coupon codes on future purchases.

Companies often offer cashback coupons as well which are exactly as it sounds. Once you have made the purchase, you will get some present or amount of the total price back in your account.

Shipping Coupons

These are promo codes that are offered by online stores. When you buy something, the store delivers the products free of cost.

Know Where to Find Online Coupons

You can easily find online coupons on your favorite store’s website. Businesses usually mention the deals and digital coupons on their homepages. But that’s not the only place where you will get coupons for online purchases.

You can also find discount coupons on affiliate blogs or websites.

These are the websites which partner with brands to increase their sales. In return, they get special coupon codes for their audience with discounted prices.

Read and Understand Coupons

You should properly read and understand the coupon before using it. People often tend to neglect the terms and conditions associated with a coupon. Since they don’t read conditions, they fail to get the most out of their promo codes.

You should look for:

  • Expiration date
  • Minimum order requirements
  • Maximum discount offer

This way you can get a good deal and won’t fall into a marketing trap.

Learn Strategies for Using Coupons

Your sole purpose of using online coupons is to save money, right?

So, when you find a discount code, don’t use it haphazardly. Instead, try to save as much as possible to get a great deal. Read the terms to understand how you can take advantage of the promocode. 

For example, if you get a “45OFF” coupon, figure out the maximum cap of the code. It’s probably a 45% off code, so find out what brand is offering with this coupon.

Are you getting 45% off on the whole order?

Is there a limit to the maximum amount of discount?

Thinking about these two points will help you use the coupon wisely.

Best Time to Get Online Coupons

The best time to grab online coupons is during the sales season. You can get the most discount on coupons during:

  • Black Friday sales
  • Christmas season
  • New Year sales
  • Valentine’s Day
  • Labor Day sales

In addition to these, brands and retailers also offer coupons on their anniversaries.

How to Know if a Coupon Is Real?

When you get an online coupon, it works most of the time. However, you may face difficulty on occasions, especially if you were handed a fake coupon.

The best way to know whether your coupon is real is to look at the discount offered.

Online retailers and stores normally don’t offer massive discounts. So, if it sounds too good to be true, chances are that it may not be real.

For example, a promocode for 15% off is usually real. On the other hand, if you have an 80% coupon, it can be a scam. A discount coupon worth more than $500 is often not real. But this also depends on the total price of the product.

How to Apply Online Coupons? 

Once you have found an online coupon, you can use it at the time of purchase. All you need to do is type the code or paste it after copying. Then click the “apply” button present right next to the coupon code box.

You will find the coupon code box at any stage of the checkout process.

Most brands let customers apply the code at the initial checkout stage. This allows the buyers to get an idea of how much discount they are getting.

However, some stores only let customers use online coupons when they have entered their information. You may see a coupon box on such sites after providing your shipping address. Some brands let you utilize the coupon once you have entered your billing details.

Can You Use Multiple Online Coupons?

Yes, there is a possibility, but most online retailers only allow you to use one promocode. However, there are some online stores that often allow customers to use multiple coupons.

But you should know that not all stores allow this and it also only works on special occasions. Normally, you get to take advantage of the discounted prices along with a coupon.

For example, let’s say a store has offered a discount on some items.

Now if you have a loyalty coupon or a student voucher, or a special day coupon code, you can get an extra discount. This is only if the store allows you to use an online coupon without waving the already offered discount price.

How Should You Stack Online Coupons?

Coupon stacking is a term that refers to the use of multiple coupons. If you are planning to tack online coupons, we recommend you use the promocodes in the right order.

You should use the coupon with the most discount first to get the most savings.

For instance, if you have one coupon for 10% off and the other for 25% off, you should use the 25% coupon code first. 

How to Confirm that the Coupon Is Applied?

It’s wise to ensure that your online coupon was successfully applied.

Websites usually show notifications to let you know about the discounted price. In case the coupon isn’t applied, they will display the explanatory message. This way you’ll know the reason why your coupon was rejected by the store.

Stores normally display coupon boxes up front as soon as you add the products. So, you can immediately know the reduced/promotional price of your order. If you are satisfied, you can continue the checkout process.

Do Promo Codes Expire?

Yes, promo codes do have an expiry date associated with them. Like all digital offers, online coupons are subjected to expire after a certain date.

The expiry day will be mentioned on the post along with the coupon or listed on the website. After the end date, you will not be able to redeem that promo code.

Is it safe to get coupons online?

Yes, it’s safe to get coupons online for digital use. It’s common for brands and eCommerce stores to offer online coupons to their customers. Businesses and companies use this to engage potential customers and increase their sales.

Online coupons are either a first purchase discount or promo codes for holiday and seasonal sales.

You can get these coupons directly on business websites or stores. But you can also find promocodes on the best coupon websites.

Takeaway Words

Online coupons are a great way to get discounts from retailers. We hope that you now know where and when you can grab the best coupon deals. All you need to do is use these promo codes before their expiry dates.

Also, don’t forget to read coupon terms and conditions before using one. This way you’ll know on which items you can get a discount and what’s the minimum limit of the coupon.

Lady holding shopping bags
Want to Avail Latest Offers? Visit Stores
You May Also Like

Read similar blog posts relevant to your interests and related to the above query!

All Blogs